Cross-roll straightener drive assembly



2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS v NOV. 17, 197() C, B, PAGE CROSS-ROLL STPAIGHTENER DRIVE ASSEMBLY Filed June 14, 1968 m .M/ m @E m 7, ir, Mw EON N Q AN/ .f 1Q 1.1i bf. f 1174-: m|||v NN -x Q /o a C \5\, Nm NQ Nm\\\m\\ Nm *um .vm En wml m Tm m mwN m m @n wm @m Nov. 17, 1970 C, B, PAGE 3,540,25

CROSS-ROLL STRAIGHTENER DRIVE ASSEMBLY Filed June 14, 196s 2 sheets-sheet 2 FIG. 2

1, INVENTOR. N CALVIN B. PAGE BY Mm, mm, g M,

ATTORNEYS nited States Patent 3,540,251 CRUSS-ROLL STRAIGH'I'ENER DRIVE ASSEMBLY Calvin B. Page, Irwin, Pa., assigner, by mesne assignments, to Gulf -1- Western Industrial Products Company, Grand Rapids, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 14, 1968, Ser. No. 737,010 Int. Cl. B21d 3/04 U.S. Cl. '72-99 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A cross-roll straightener drive assembly comprising a plurality of pairs of cross-rolls arranged longitudinally along an axis of the assembly, each of the pairs of rolls comprising an upper roll and a lower roll. The upper and lower rolls are spaced from each other and are differently angled with respect to the assembly axis. Individual spindles for the rolls extend towards one side of the assembly, each spindle being connected to a speed reducer. Individual drive motors are connected to the speed reducers, mounted on the reducers and positioned so that one motor does not interfere with another motor.

The present invention relates to a drive assembly for a cross-roll straightener machine.

It is known to provide a cross-roll straightener, for instance a straightener having six rolls, wherein a plurality of pairs of rolls are aligned along the machine axis with the upper rolls of each pair being oriented at one angle with respect to the axis, the lower rolls being oriented at a different angle with respect to the axis. In the case of a six-roll straightener, the three upper rolls would be oriented in one direction, making a sharp angle facing the leading or front end of the machine. The bottom or lower three rolls would be oriented at a sharp angle facing in the opposite direction.

Individual spindles are provided for each roll, all of the spindles extending towards one side of the machine. It is known to connect the spindles of the upper rolls, for instance three spindles, to a single speed reducer, and to connect this speed reducer to a large drive motor. The lower rolls would also have their spindle ends connected to a single speed reducer spaced from the upper roll speed reducer, and also connected to a large drive motor.

A disadvantage experienced with this type of drive assembly is that the speeds of rolls of the machine are not individually variable. If a roll becomes slightly worn, its surface speed changes and diifers from the surface speed of the other rolls of the machine. In the absence of an ability to change the rotational speed of a roll, the slightly worn roll tends to scuif against the object being rolled, accelerating wear on the roll.

To overcome the above problem, it is known to provide individual reducers and motors for each roll, aligned with the roll axis, with means to vary the speed of each motor. Thus, for a six-roll machine, there would be provided six speed reducers and six motors. One problem is that for large capacity machines, very large motors are required. It was found that a more effective straightening job is achieved by closer spacing of the pairs of rolls to each other along the machine axis, but in the type of machine utilizing individual drives for each roll, the closeness of one pair of rolls to another was limited by the sizes of the motors. Either the motors had to be sized down to obtain close spacing, reducing the capacity of the machine, or a sacrifice had to be made in the quality of straightening achieved.

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It has been proposed to utilize a right-angle reduced with the motors arranged at right angles to the spindles for the rolls. By simply lengthening the spindles, any size motor could be used with a particular straightener, without interference of one motor with another, and without reducing the spacing between the spindles and thus between pairs of rolls.

Although this was considered by the industry to be a substantial improvement over what had been done before, several disadvantages were realized. One is that the drive assembly or combination of motors and speed reducers occupied substantially more oor space, the other being that the cost of purchasing spindles of different lengths, substantially added to the cost of the straightener. In addition, the use of very long sprindles with the end-most reducer-motor assemblies tended to result in a loss of efficiency in driving the end-most rolls associated with these assemblies.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome the above disadvantages.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a cross-roll straightener machine comprising a machine axis. A plurality of pairs of cross-rolls are arranged longitudinally along said axis, each of said pairs comprising upper and lower rolls. The upper rolls are spaced from the lower rolls, and are disposed at a rst angle with respect to the machine axis, the lower rolls being disposed at a different angle with respect to said axis.

Individual spindles for the rolls extend towards one side of the machine, with speed reducers connected to the spindles. Individual drive motors are connected to the speed reducers, the drive motors being mounted on the speed reducers and positioned at an angle thereto whereby one motor does not interfere with another motor.

Preferably, the machine axis is horizontally disposed, and the spindles extend horizontally towards one side of the machine. The motors are then vertically mounted on the speed reducer housings.

The invention and advantages thereof will become more apparent upon consideration of the following specication, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a plan partial section view of a cross-roll straightener machine in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 2 is an elevation of the cross-roll straightener of FIG. 1.

Turning to the drawings, there is illustrated a crossroll straightener 12 having a longitudinal axis along which a pipe 14 or other object is threaded. The pipe is engaged by pairs of rolls 16, 18 and 20, each roll having a concave surface to conform to the surface of the pipe. The upper rolls are angled at a rst acute angle X with realtion to the machine axis, facing forwardly or towards the front or entry end 22 of the machine opposite to the direction of movement of the pipe 14, and the lower rolls are angled at a second acute angle Y with respect to the machine axis facing the rear or delivery end 24 of the machine towards the direction of movement of the pipe. The rolls are individually driven, in a manner to be discussed, and the rotating concave surfaces of the rolls, angled with respect to the direction of travel of the pipe 14, cause the pipe not only to move in a longitudinal direction, but to rotate at the same time. This longitudinal and rotational movement, while the rolls hold the pipe co-axially with the machine axis, straightens the pipe by rotating it forwardly through a bending arc for-med by upward displacement of the center roll pair 18 with the entering and delivering roll pairs 16 and 20.

In the embodiment shown, the upper rolls of each pair areV arranged in a horizontal plane, and the lower rolls are arranged in a plane which is parallel to the upper plane and also horizontal. The spacing between the rolls is 'sufficient to accommodate the pipe diameter, for frictional engagement between the pipe and the roll surfaces.

There is provided for each roll a horizontal spindle 26 aligned with each roll axis, all of the spindles extending towards one side 28 of the machine. Viewing the machine towards its front tube entry end, the spindles extend towards the right side of the machine. The drive assemblies generally indicated by the numeral 30 are thereby all disposed on one side of the machine. Couplings 32, 34 are provided for each spindle connecting the spindles to the drive assemblies 30, and to the rolls.

Each drive assembly comprises a speed reducer 36 on top of which is seated or mounted a motor 38. The speed reducers are of the worm and worm wheel type, with the worms extending vertically upwardly from the speed reducer housings coupled to the motors. This translates the rotational movement of the vertically oriented kaxes of the motors into the horizontal rotational motion of the spindles.

FIG. 1 illustrates the advantages of the invention. As mentioned, in a previous known arrangement, the motors were horizontally oriented, and at right angles to the axes of the spindles, the reducers being right angle reducers. The disadvantage with this type of arrangement was that the motors, if large in size, would interfere, requiring that the drive assemblies for the rolls closer to the ends of the machine be spaced progressively further from the axis of the machine. If it was desired to use spindles of equal length, then the motors had to be axially aligned with the spindles, and, depending upon the sizes of the motors, the spindles would have to be placed a greater distance apart. As can be seen from FIG. 1, the spindles 26 are all of equal length, so that in purchasing the spindles, there is a savings in cost. In addition, the spindles are relatively short, with the motor and speed reducer assemblies mounted close to the rolls, for high eiciency of transfer of torque from the motors to the rolls. By the same token, the lioor space occupied by the entire machine, including the individual drive assemblies, is reduced. This constitutes a definite saving to the user of the cross-roll straightener machine.

Of course the present invention offers the advantage of individual drive assemblies for each roll, so that individual roll speeds can be varied, with less limitation on the horsepower of motors used, or motor sizes, with a predetermined desired spacing between pairs of rolls.

A further advantage achieved in accordance with the invention is the saving resulting from having the motors mounted directly on the speed reducer housings. This eliminates the cost of couplings and special mountings for the motors heretofore required when the motors were separately mounted on the framework for the cross-roll straightener.

Although the invention has been described with reference to a single embodiment, variations within the scope of the following claims will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For instance, it is known to use only five rolls for straightening with cross-rolls at the entry and delivery ends of the stand of rolls and a single bending roll between the cross-rolls. In that there would still be at least one group of vthree closely spaced parallel spindles, the principles of the present invention are still applicable.

What is claimed is: l

1. A cross-roll straightener machine comprising a machine axis;

a plurality of pairs of. cross-rolls arranged longitudinally along said axis, each of said pairs comprising upper and lower rolls;

v 4 f v said upper rolls being arranged in `a plane which is spacedfa predetermined distance from and parallel to the plane defined by the lower rolls;

said upper rolls all being disposed at a first angle with respect to the machine axis and the lower rolls all being disposed at a different angle with respect to the machine axis; f

individual vspindles for each roll all extending towards one side of said machine; n

speed reducers connected to said spindles;

individual drive motors connected to said speed reducers, said drive -motors being mounted on said Speed reducers and positioned at an angle thereto whereby one motor does not interfere with another motor.

2. A cross-roll straightener machine comprising a leading end and a trailing end;

a horizontally disposed machine axis extending between said ends;

a plurality of pairs of cross-rolls arranged longitudinally along said axis, each of said pairs comprising upper and lower rolls;

said upper rolls being arranged in a horizontal plane which is spaced a predetermined distance from and parallel to the horizontal plane defined by the lower rolls;

said upper rolls all being disposed at a first acute angle facing the leading end of said machine and the lower rolls all being disposed at a different acute angle ywith respect to the machine axis facing the trailing end of said machine;

individual horizontally extending spindles of equal length for each roll co-axial with the roll axes ex tending towards one side of said machine;

speed reducers connected to said spindles;

individual drive motors connected to said speed reducers, said drive motors being vertically oriented and mounted on the speed reducer housings whereby one motor does not interfere with another motor.

3. A cross-roll straightener machine according to claim 2, wherein there are provided three pairs of rolls, the spindles and drive assemblies being disposed along one side of said straightener machine in groups of three.

4. A crosseroll straightener machine comprising a machine axis;

a stand of rolls including upper and lower rolls arranged longitudinally along said axis, the upper rolls being differently angled with respect to the machine axis than the lower rolls;

individual spindles for each roll of equal length al1 extending towards one side of said machine;

speed reducers connected to said spindles;

individual drive motors connected to said speed reducers;

at least three rolls being angled in approximately the same direction with respect to the machine axis on closely spaced axes, the spindles of said three rolls being parallel and closely spaced;

said drive motors being mounted on said speed reducers and positioned at an angle thereto whereby one motor does not interfere with another motor.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS MILTON S. MEHR, Primary Examiner Us. C1..X.R. 72-162 

